Lady Breeze

Muhammad Ali’s story meant a lot for me - beyond the boxing he spent a lifetime preparing to meet God, and was dedicated to a path of Tassawuf, to the inward path of Love. He believed that the secret of God is revealed through the knowledge of Love. Ali strived to become a truly beautiful human being; following the Tassawuf wisdom that ‘The outer beauty of a person must merge with the inner beaut y and become one. This is the source of true beauty.’ He was most certainly such a human being, and was once asked: “What would you like people to think about you when you’re gone?”. He responded that he would like people to say: ‘He took a few cups of love. He took one table spoon of patience. One table spoon, tea-spoon of generosity. One pint of kindness. He took one quart of laughter. One pinch of concern. And then he mixed willingness with happiness. He added lots of faith. And he stirred it up well. Then he spread it over a span of a lifetime. And he served it to each and every deservi...

Il a mis le café Dans la tasse Il a mis le lait Dans la tasse de café Il a mis le sucre Dans le café au lait Avec la petite cuiller Il a tourné Il a bu le café au lait Et il a reposé la tasse Sans me parler Il a allumé Une cigarette Il a fait des ronds Avec la fumée Il a mis les cendres Dans le cendrier Sans me parler Sans me regarder Il s’est levé Il a mis Son chapeau sur sa tête Il a mis Son manteau de pluie Parce qu’il pleuvait Et il est parti Sous la pluie Sans une parole Sans me regarder Et moi j’ai pris Ma tête dans mes mains Et j’ai pleuré. Jacques Prévert

I often get into debates with people about women in Islam. How we dress. How we don’t dress. What we think or don’t think or should-be-thinking. I get into debates about feminism. What it is and what it isn’t. I think I’ve spawned permanent foes because I don’t care to apply the label, feminist, to describe myself. (I’m not one for labels, sorry. But if it’s even required of me, “Muslim woman” suits me just fine.) But if we could agree for a moment that there exists a pure definition of the word feminist to mean: awesomely fierce to the millionth degree, then I’d like to introduce you to Islam’s first feminist. Her name is Khadijah bint Khuwaylid. She was the wife of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him.) And she is one of the people that I think about when I face or debate issues surrounding women today. Khadija’s existence precedes mine by more than 1,400 years; and, if I can at the very least, continuously strive to emulate her character, I will consider mysel...

Why should we be always another copy version of another human being? Is it because the book is saying so? According to which book are we following? Traditions? Prescriptions? Perspectives? Culture? Society? Habits? Or what the people would say? Are we supposed to pursue things that were mentioned in the 16 th , 17 th or even the 20 th century, because this is how our great great grandparents were brought up on to or use to do it in that specific way? Why do I have to follow things blindly? If this is how the world is all about, then I’m definitely in the wrong universe and should certainly rest my case. I’m neither against traditions nor against our grandparent’s perspectives… But we are today in the 21 st century… things have changed; Technology and Science have developed a lot and quickly... even art is changing daily. If you happen to be a believer; God gave us a mind to think with, to create, innovate, to be creative, to discover sc...

I just finished reading “ Adultery ” by Paulo Coelho . Honestly, I can't believe this is written by the same man who wrote one of my favorite novels. Utterly shocking and incredibly disappointing. I read the entire book, because I was waiting for it to get better, but it never happened. In this story, Coelho shows the monster, that resides in us to come up for revenge. Through the life of the main character, feelings of dissatisfaction and inadequacy come to surface... if her life is so perfect, surrounded by people she love and love her, has the perfect husband and children and successful in her work... why is she so unhappy? Because, deep down, she felt there must be something else to all that sense of the perfect life she was living... Letting the monster inside her to come out, is something forbidden, horrible, and dirty. But through the monster, she returns back from the forbidden adventure as a stronger woman, a better person, a renewed soul. From my point of...

I’m a globie girl that wants to explore as much as possible of the world and get do know more about different cultures. I was born to travel. (Will get to the travelling part later) I am from Cairo and have Turkish roots like most of Egyptians. I was born in Vienna, were I was raised and spent my teen - year’s. Vienna plays a big role in my life. If I started to talk about my love to this country, it’s a never-ending love story and I won’t finish today. - I need to finish because I still got a lot to do for today, maybe in another post -.  People who know me very well, know that I regard Egypt my country and my home, but not only because of my roots, family and friends who live there, but because I truthfully love it. There is something about Egypt and until this moment know one has figured out what is this “Something”. If you talked to any Egyptian who lived abroad especially in a not Middle Eastern country, he will understand what I’m saying. Unfortunately, Egyptians...

Secrets can't be hidden. Through out our lifespan our secrets will be exposed one day. Within the walls of your life, the truth will be stripped bare. One thing is certain, whatever it is we’re trying to hide, we’re never ready for that moment when the truth gets naked. That’s the problem with secrets –like misery, they love company. They pile up and up until they take over everything… until you don’t have room for anything else. The thing people forget is how good it can feel when you finally set your secrets free. Whether good or bad, at least they’re out in the open… like it or not. And once your secrets are out in the open, you don’t have to hide behind them anymore. The problem with secrets is –even when you think you’re in control, you’re not!

I’ve been avoiding this blog for such a long time... my typical excuse “I’m too busy with so and so and so…to write”  I thought it’s the insecurity writing down my inner thoughts…that led me to return to my diaries… but I stopped writing in them as well… It became clear to me that I had avoided writing all along because I was afraid… I was afraid that what I would pen down wouldn’t be as precious as I thought I was able of writing… Twisting my thoughts here and there… I shall dissect my brain on this page and let it seep the page in thoughts… Quoting a friend: “There's no better friend to lend an ear to than a paper and a pen” …  in my case right now my blog… It listens to your crying your emotions and thoughts out loud without criticizing you… You almost touched that dream... But circumstances stops you... that you come to the question “in which direction you should go?” there’s no middle either right or left…  and it’s either right or wrong… So you have to choose betwe...

 ليس صحيحا اننا نحب بلادنا أو نحب انفسنا, ولا نقبل المناقشة في كراهيتنا لانفسنا وبلادنا. وتسويد الدنيا في وجوهنا. وسد الطرقات علينا: امامنا وخلفنا. ثم نشكو من سوء الحظ وان العالم كله يتآمر علينا. لأننا نملك ما لايملك. ولاننا الدولة الوحيدة الافروأسيوية, ولاننا نملك قناة السويس والأهرام والنيل. وجوا معتدلا وشواطيء ونقول: انها أجمل شواطيء الدنيا. مع اننا لم نر الدنيا. نقرأ صحفنا فلا نجد فيها إلا كل ... ما هو قاتم.. فاسد. ونقرأ الصحف المستقلة التي تطلب من القاريء ان يطلق رصاص الرحمة علي كل من يري. وان يبدأ بنفسه ثم بمن يعول. ثم اننا نفطر علي الخرافات ونتناولها غداء وعشاء. ونسمع ونصدق الهجاصين من المؤرخين العرافين قراء الكف ضاربي الودع من مدرسة( هيكلا موسي) ـ نوسترداموس ـ العصر والأوان. وطبيعي ان يكون هذا العراف قد افرزته الخرافة والكذب علي الشعب والجيش. وتندهش ـ ومن حقك ـ كيف يقبل شعبنا.. كيف يقبل جيشنا مثل هذا الهوان. اين الرصيد الاستراتيجي للكرامة والامانة وما ننشر ونسميه عبق التاريخ ـ أي تاريخ وأي عبق؟! وأصله ما عداش علي مصر.. ويبقي صحيح أنت المصري.. والمصريين اهمه.. هل كل هذا...

Oscar Wilde once said 'skepticism is the first step toward faith'. It's interesting how we always identify reasons why something won't happen or won't work before finding within us a glow of optimism that spurs us on to pursue something. If you're willing to absorb negativity from certain people, then you must naturally expect to be held back and slowed down by them. You have a choice regarding how easily influenced you're willing to be by others' opinions and doubts.

Ich träume vom Morgen und lasse das jetzt sein. Lasse es einfach sein, lasse die Ohnmacht zu, träumte von der Zukunft. Immer von der Zukunft. Bald, bald würde es anders sein, es würde anders werden, und irgendwann, Irgendwann würde da Schönheit sein, in mir, und jemand würde es sehen, die Leute würden es erkennen, an mir, letztendlich. Vielleicht gefiel es mir ganz gut darin, in dieser Verpuppung, in der ich der Welt noch für ein paar Jahre entgehen konnte, ich konnte mich ihr absprechen, fernhalten; denn das war noch nicht ich. Das war ich nicht. Ich würde anders sein. Größer, schöner, und so sicher. Sicher in mir selbst. Und dann wurde es besser, die Haut, die Haare, vielleicht die Einstellung; ein bisschen getanzt und gelacht und in die Welt eingefühlt. Eingefügt. Aber nicht wirklich, immer steckt noch ein bisschen diese Angst in mir, bin ich wirklich bereit? Ist es das jetzt? Woran erkenne ich, dass es begonnen hat, das wirkliche Leben? Und nie war es vollkommen, immer fehl...

Some people sometimes want things that in the end won’t truly help them. Life is strange: the happier people can be, the unhappier they are. I have some friends that think they exist because they have “problems” to solve. Without “problems” they are nobody. The Universe is merely an echo of our desires, regardless of whether they are constructive or destructive ones. One should keep in mind the difference between a dream and an obsession. When you follow your personal legend, you walk your path and learn from it. The objective doesn’t blind you to the road that takes you there. On the other hand obsession is what prevents you from admiring the teachings of life. It’s like trying to get to your objective without passing through the challenges. I realized that despite the fear and the bruises of life, one has to keep on fighting for one’s dream. And one has to understand that being brave is not the absence of fear but rather the strength to keep on going forward despite the fear.